The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-10-22
MY EXPERIENCE.

shiver to run through me, 40 II suddenly
plunged into n Sea Of leo.
Now, 1t ls not tho manner in which
came by the coin which occasionu this IN.
pleasant feeling, but the way in which it
became fused and VIZ
But here Is tale, and after psrusing 1t
you can SEQ II l am justified in tho disa-
Sreeable feeling caused by tho remem.
brancs OF the time I am about 10 describe.
1t was beautiful, calm morning in Au.
gust, 1860. WIFI
We-tbat is to say, myaelf, three other
gentlemen and two suldea, six in all, were
slowly climbing up to the rough, uneven
sides Of Mount Vesuvlua on our way to
explore Its crater. z
No one but those who have been III a
volcano.rsvaged region can form the
s!ightest idea Of it's desolatc, dreary ap.
pearance. - rs &
4 Not shrub or blade Of graaa relieves
the monotonous extent of black, broken
scoria, which lies in oil positions, reaem.
bling aomewhat the broken surface OF O
storul.lashed ssa.
Halt way up the view was sublime, and
again and again We would atop and allow
our eyes to wander over one OF the most
beautiful prospects that I ever had the
pleasure to behold.
The bay Of Naples gently ripplod and
kicaed the ehore at our feet, the islsnds OF
Capri and 1schiliia do,ting ito placid
bosom like twin emeralds in casket OF
silver, while still further westward
stretched the blue wsteya OF the Mediter.
ssnean until the mild horizon and its
CLASSY euriace were soltly shaded into ono
by tho master hand OF nature; nearer re-
posed tho city, with its .:na.chleas palaces,
Its turreted towers. a
While farther inland tho ego could
roam for miles and miles over the fairy
ike panorama OF vineyards, villages, fslds
and villas, until even 1t would bs dezsd by
the brilliant hues, and relieved when
agein turned upon the arid waste through
which we were toiling,
At last Wa resched tho vergs OF the era
ter and looked over.
LIZ Ciknto NC con- ahU tl5 bDUuuS Nb
heard will never be erased from my
memory.
Looking down into the intense basin
we could sec the frnoking, fiery flame,
situated in the center, sending up mo-
mentsrily discharges Of seething red hot
matter. q 2 Y ,. +. me. 1,s,.s5
The guides informed us that there was
no danger, but 1t seemed like counting
death to venture into the yawniug abyss,
which appeared like the entrance to hadeg
itself. + a. .-t = ~
But at last, after some hesitation, wo de.
.ermiued to do tho mountain" properly,
Or die in the attempt. ~ s.E 5'ss-8'
So we commenced our deacant. And it
Sas deucent with veugencs; hands
and feet were st a premium and Pm not
positive 10 this day whether I did not use
my teeth. =, 80 - 5s 13f2 s,sszs 3
Crawling here, hanging there, where o
mis.etep would send you a thousand feet
down g shapsle5s mass, holding by pro.
jectlng rocks so hot as to cause pain,
while sulphurous smoke and jets OF flame
burst out hers and there into your very
fece, making breathing almost an impcs.
sibility. 5;t .Fi';4I
Well, OF laat We reached tho bottom. Z
The sceus was terrifying. s.Is q
The ground Te stood on tyembled above
the awful motion Of tho boiling, hissing
meas beneath. IA,
Upon getting more accustomed to the
leariul surroundings, We could distinguish
chat everything IN this great laboratory
Of nature worked like clock-work pre-.
cision. :. n, J, ss7i "a Z; III
The deep, heavy, piaton.like shud OF the
immense internal engine could be- heard
at regular inteyvals, and then from the
valve, or, mora properly speaking, from
The mouth Of the cone, would DAFT chunks
Of fiery sco.ia, which would rise from
| 6fty TO 8ixty fest and then descend, re.
,, q1irirg in some cases the greatest agility
20 evold being cruahed to death beneath
them. ~ =: =. Z Is,tS Z. s. $40
1t seemed 81 il this was the breathing
spot Of all the dragons and monsters
chron:cled in fabulous history. a!
II noticed that from the moment we
started one OF the guides took more than
ordinary trouble In pointing out and ex-
planning dlierento things 10 ma, and
mentally determined 10 double his fee for
bis attention, but il ! had known his OBJ.
iecs, I should in oil probability have shot
MIN on the opot, Gi5
Well, ct lset We lisd Hcen all We wished
and prepared to ascend. Z. II *. Z. :
| Tho rest Of the party were already some
dietancs up, and l was preparing to fol.
| low. when my guide Raid . 5 5i &
/ "sir, you have taken nothing as a
memento Of your visit to the mountain
! He was right. s5 !l5ili: 4 4. 5i;3
| 30 I walked back towasd the center Of
| the basin to procure something to carry
away: which would in alter yesrs remind
me Of my visit. Is ;,al.,. ssll55,., ~ !
&"Hsve you any copper coins with you p
he asked. ..6sjts3Is ~ a! 3 I
l felt in my pockets. 5s
Yea. ! had one, just ono, an old, we'll
worn United Stated coin. This I handel
to him. He wsited another discbarge o
scoria, and when 1t fell he ran up ant
dropped tho cent into a small p!ecs Of thu
hot compound. s, 3, g a, l.ifllrs5 Y
We hsd now to whit until It cooled, ant
when it did l pickedit up and placed 1t ii
| my pocket. ,,3353asgi fs3%!f q 4
The same instant the guido gave a will
yell and came rushing toward me, his fac,
distorted, his mouth open, and his eye
flashing and Of disa4reoable grcenisl
color. N is,l -sii3 II IA 81
stood looking ct him, not knowing Ii,
cause Of hlH strange actions. -,.2
Was the volcano about to commeuc
another eruption end crisp us to a cinder
or had some freak Of nature changed tn
volcanic surroundings, 60 as to render on
I exit impossible ii55'; ,a791. -a,sS
These were all the thoughts which rush
ed through my brain. "a hi.
BY this time mo lad reached nv sidt
! and before i knew 1t he had s,aspsd m
by the throat and bore mo down. tf1I Is
: Another eecriiico to offer 10 nv charm
+ ing Queen,R he cried, aa he commence
a dragging ME toward the spoking cons. 4
h It was aome time before / Iecovere
from the surprise which this unexpectc
maneuyer ,occssioned. jIftis J,
4 But ut last ! did and struggle to my; fee
.: ."Oome." ! said, "you have carried til